Why 2021 is the year to buy a new funeral home or sell yours

Big changes? Small changes? Whether you’re facing a process change or a total reorganization, upheaval at work can zap your energy and dampen your spirit. I’ve been there! Here are some self-care tips for managing the stress of change.

Arianna Rule is a 27-year-old funeral director at Brunswick Memorial Home in East Brunswick, New Jersey. She is also the new chair of OGR’s Young Professionals Council.

The world has gone digital. There is no denying that we are living in a digital world, and with that comes new risks and responsibilities. In 2019, there were an estimated 4.4 billion active internet users. With the upcoming emergence of 5G wireless technology, telecoms giant Ericsson projects more than 65% of the world population will have access to the internet by the end of 2025.

Starbucks, which recently filed a trademark application for its popular “puppaccino,” is not the only one to have noticed the way we feel about our dogs.

Kevin Opsahl is the owner of Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory in Yankton, South Dakota. He shared his experiences with running a successful funeral home that has been around for more than a century.

Independent funeral homes are always working to show how they are different than conglomerate competitors. Are you especially involved in your community? Do you have a specialized knowledge base, like issues specific to veteran funerals?

When was the last time you had press walk into your funeral home? Have you been interviewed on drive time radio lately? Other than the obituary page, where is your funeral home mentioned in your local newspaper? If your answer is “never” or “rarely,” then you need to make a marketing plan…and that plan starts now.

Veterans speak their own language, and each branch of service has its own dialect. A captain in the Army is NOT the same as a captain in the Navy - do you know the difference? If you can't meet veterans where they are, you won't be able to serve this key demographic in the manner they deserve.

OGR members will gather in-person for the first time in more than a year this September for the association's inaugural Leadership Summit.

There is a saying in our profession that I am sure many are familiar with. The adage “You are only as good as your last funeral” is, for the most part, one of those things that we live with, whether we like it or not.

As we emerge from the pandemic here in the United States, we're feeling anxious.

Are you facing a tough challenge or change at work? You might get frustrated if you expect steady progress or quick resolution. None of us is going to glide smoothly from start to finish. So, what do you do when you hit a rough patch? Your answer can mean the difference between success and defeat. Change your perspective to realize you’re collecting footage for your montage.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Passages) – Passages International, Inc., has introduced eight new designs to their Journey Earthurn® collection.

Now more than ever, healthcare professionals, first responders and caregivers need some support from the daily stress that the pandemic has created in both their workplace and their personal lives. Show them how much you care by sharing these six “10-minute Talks: Coping During COVID-19” in order to give them a much-needed break.

Woodstock, IL – May 24, 2020: Thumbies® Inc., creator of one-of-a-kind jewelry and keepsakes worn or carried in memory of a loved one, announces the launch of two new products, designed in the spirit of a life celebrated and of memories kept close. The two new knife options are unique tributes to a loved one and will be available for only $90 through the month of May, to allow for Father’s Day gift orders.

Whether your funeral home is a family operation passed down through the generations, or you are a new owner writing the first chapter of your own funeral home’s story, or something in between, there is a story behind every independent funeral home.

Hannah Rathman is a licensed funeral director and embalmer at Heartland Cremation & Burial Society in Raytown, Missouri.

When the world began tipping upside down in February 2020, funeral service suppliers such as Dodge had previously experienced situations which bore a resemblance to what was eventually coming our way.

Do you know how to establish your funeral home as the definitive choice for veterans in your area? Participate in either or both workshops put on by Veterans Funeral Care and OGR to learn how to connect with the veteran community and become the go-to funeral home for their families.